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What are the best excursions from Cairo?
What to see in Cairo? What are the top things to do in Cairo? Are there any day trips from Cairo to the Pyramids of Giza? Answering the latter, yes there are. They are among the best Cairo day trips, and also the cheapest — because of how close are the pyramids. But, of course, Cairo pyramids tour is not the only option. There are many more exciting Cairo tours, day trips from Cairo and also excursions in Cairo itself. After all, it is one of the top tourist destinations in Egypt.
Below are 6 of the best Cairo tours you can book online.
Table of Contents
Great Excursions From Cairo, Egypt
What are the options? What Cairo day tours you must not miss?
Check out some of the coolest excursions Cairo has to offer.
1. Giza Pyramids and Sphinx Half-Day Tour (click for more details)
A half-day trip from Cairo to Pyramids.
One of the best excursions from Cairo, our favorite.
No visit to Cairo is complete without a trip to the majestic Pyramids. The Pyramids of Giza are the oldest and the only remaining Wonder of the Ancient World. During this excursion, you’ll visit the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, and learn more about the history of these spectacular structures.
Also you’ll have a chance to go on a short camel ride around the Great Pyramid, and go inside one of the pyramids (optional).
DURATION: 4 hours
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Visiting the only remaining Wonder of the Ancient World
- Visiting the icons of Egypt – the Pyramids and the Sphinx
- Learning more about the history of the Pyramids
FEMALE ONLY. Book a female-guided excursion to the Pyramids here. It is suitable for female solo travelers, couples, and families.
2. Pyramids of Giza, Sakkara & Memphis Tour with Lunch (click for more details)
A day trip from Cairo to Pyramids of Giza, Sakkara and Memphis.
One of the best excursions from Cairo (full-day trips from Cairo).
If you would love to include other historical landmarks in your Pyramids excursion, choose this Cairo day tour. It includes not only a visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza, but also to lesser known pyramids and the capital of ancient Egypt. During this excursion, you’ll get a deeper insight into Ancient Egypt and see more wonderful ancient landmarks.
After visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza, you’ll go to Sakkara to visit the lesser known Step Pyramid. Finally, you’ll visit Memphis – the capital of ancient Egypt. All what remains of the ancient capital you can see in the Memphis Open Air Museum. The museum features large statues of the pharaohs and gods. The most famous is the huge, reclining limestone statue of Ramses II.
DURATION: 8 hours
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Exploring the Great Pyramids
- Visiting a lesser known pyramid
- Visiting the capital of ancient Egypt
Cairo is the capital of Egypt, and one of the largest cities in Africa. It is known for its impressive historical landmarks, especially the famous Giza Pyramids Complex – the last remaining Wonder of the Ancient World.
3. Full-Day Tour of Historical Alexandria (click for more details)
A full-day Alexandria day trip from Cairo.
This is your chance to visit the historical Alexandria. Alexandria is one of the largest cities in Egypt, and the country’s major economic centre. It is known for its ancient historical landmarks that date back to the Roman Era and the Middle Ages.
On this day trip, you’ll visit the most notable and well-known landmarks of Alexandria – the ancient Citadel of Qaitbay, the new Library of Alexandria, the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa and the Roman Theatre. You’ll witness how Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures have influenced the city. Keep in mind that the Library of Alexandria is closed on Fridays. So, you might want to avoid booking a tour for Friday.
In our opinion, one day in Alexandria is enough for the first impression.
DURATION: 10 hours
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Historical Alexandria
- Visiting a 15th-century citadel
- Exploring the ancient Catacombs and Roman Theatre
- Visiting the grand Library of Alexandria
4. Luxor Guided Tour with Overnight Bus (click for more details)
A guided day trip to Luxor from Cairo (by bus).
One of the most beautiful day trips from Cairo. It’s long, but it’s worth it!
Considered as one of the world’s largest open-air museums, Luxor is an iconic place to visit in Egypt. This UNESCO-listed ancient city has a large number of thousand-year-old temples, tombs, and statues. Some of Egypt’s most famous temples, tombs and monuments are located in Luxor — Valley of Kings, the Queen Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, Complex of Karnak and the Luxor temple. All of these are iconic landmarks and are among the best places to visit in Egypt.
Yes, you can go on a day trip from Cairo to Luxor. Well, technically it’s 2-day trip to Luxor. And you should keep in mind that it’s a long and rather exhausting journey – there are two overnight buses/trains (depending on the selected option). You travel by night and visit all the highlights during one day.
For the most comfortable journey, look for Luxor tours from Cairo that include a flight. Or just book a flight to Luxor yourself.
Entrance fees are not included in the price.
DURATION: 2 days
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Luxor, one of the world’s largest open-air museums
- Seeing all the iconic landmarks of Luxor, including the the Karnak Temple and the Valley of Kings
- Admiring thousand-year-old temples and statues
5. 2-Day Bahariya Oasis Camp and Desert Tour (click for more details)
A 2-day trip to the desert (from Cairo).
Overall, one of the best multi-day trips from Cairo.
Bahariya Oasis is a rich oasis in the Western Desert of Egypt. It is surrounded by mountains, and is known for its impressive natural wonders. During your trip to Bahariya Oasis, you’ll explore the impressive White Desert, which is known for its wind-carved rock formations, as well as the Black Desert and its black volcanic hills. Then you’ll visit the Crystal Mountain which is noted for its crystal deposits.
On your second day you’ll visit the Valley of the Golden Mummies, a salt lake and sand dunes. You’ll camp in the desert, under the stars. Sounds fun, right?
DURATION: 2 days
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Camping in the desert under the stars
- Visiting White and Black desert
- Crystal deposits of the Crystal Mountain
6. Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Citadel & Old Cairo Tour (click for more details)
A tour of the most famous historical landmarks of Cairo.
There are some cool Cairo city tours. This is one of the options.
Book this tour to explore the wonders of Old Cairo! You’ll start with the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, where you’ll learn more about the Egyptian civilization – from the prehistoric times to nowadays. During the tour you’ll visit a number of ancient landmarks of the UNESCO-listed Old Cairo – the impressive Citadel of Cairo, the centuries-old Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, and the churches of Coptic Cairo.
Keep in mind that entrance fees are not included in the price.
DURATION: 7 hours
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Exploring Cairo
- Visiting Coptic Cairo
- Famous Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Cairo Travel Tips
Are you traveling to Cairo anytime soon?
Then here is the first tip for you — give yourself at least two days for Cairo. This city is huge, and there’s a lot to see. Read on to see some of our best Cairo tips, and get ready for your trip.
- You can get visa for Egypt on arrival. Most visitors to Egypt need an Egyptian visa. Luckily, you can get visa for Egypt on arrival. In costs 25 USD.
- When to visit Cairo? What’s the best time for Cairo? The best time to visit Cairo is during the shoulder season (March – April and October – November) when the weather is pleasant.
- It can get cool in Cairo. Especially during the winter. Do not forget to pack a jacket and hoodie for cool evenings and mornings. During the day you may not need them, but in the morning most likely you will. We have been in Cairo in December; it was okay, only you should be prepared for a bit chilly mornings.
- Summers are hot in Cairo. Summer is the worst time for visiting Cairo. Then, it’s super hot in Cairo. The pollution is also at its worst.
- Know what you have paid for. Before booking a tour, make sure you check what is included in the price, and what is not. To avoid misunderstanding and confusion.
- Tipping is common, but not mandatory. Unfortunately, tourists often encounter pushy people asking for tips. You don’t have to tip. But if a service is great, and the people kind and helpful, tipping a small amount of money (1-2 USD) is a great way to say thanks. If you went on an excursion, and the service was great, tips are very welcome. Usually, it’s 5-10 USD, depending on the length of your trip.
- Be cautious when visiting the pyramids on your own. There are people who will try to trick you. There’s even a special checkpoint where they stop every tourist and warn them about that. Despite that, we were stopped (our taxi) and a pushy man tried to convince us that we can’t continue on our own. Even though you can — you can go, buy a ticket and visit the pyramids on your own.
- Luxor is a great place to visit. As it’s quite far from Cairo (about 416 miles / 670 km), we would recommend you to go there for at least a couple of days. Day trips from Cairo to Luxor may be exhausting due to their length.
Have you visited Egypt? Did you visit Cairo? Did you do any day excursions from Cairo? Which, in your opinion, are the best day trips from Cairo you could recommend?
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